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Santa Ynes Valley House is a sustainable home designed by Fernau + Hartman for a client, located in the hills of the Santa Ynez Valley. The client is a couple of an artist and a real estate investor, and they need a small and energy efficient house which can beautifully mixed with the beautiful rural environement.

The eco construction is nestled in a hillside, notched into a small bench. It provides good connection with the natural environment surrounded, from each space of the house, with beautiful view. The house has two bedrooms, with separated guest house/studio, outdoor rooms, pool and barbecue area. The main volume covers dining/living space, oriented to east-west direction. The kitchen and master bedroom pierce this main building and extend out to form protected courtyards on the north and south.

This green architecture house’s sustainability is provided from both exterior and interior. From the exterior, this house uses native plants mixed partially using seeds from the site, which requires less intense irrigation. Sun shades are used to protect the house from over sun exposed. The orientation of the sustainable home building also provides advantages, especially natural ventilation, and maximal sun energy capture for heating water.

From the interior side, this house uses sustainably grown cork flooring, reclaimed Douglas fir decking, resin paper composite for cabinets and ecycled sunflower seed biocomposite paneling. All of these sustainable materials are used to provide green aspect. The clean lines and the white walls of the interior provide contrast color with the exterior which is more rustic.